Best Lawyers Near You in Lake Forest, California for Labor and Employment Law - Management
Brent Giddens is a Partner at CDF Labor Law LLP (CDF), a California focused labor, employment and immigration defense law firm with five offices throughout the state. A labor and employment attorney experienced in litigation, strategic and operational issues, Giddens helps California employers advance their business goals, representing clients in all facets of the employer/employee relationship. He has extensive background and experience in defending class actions, as well as individual actio...
Jared L. Bryan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Jared L., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jared L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Edson K. McClellan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Edson K., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Edson K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Fermin H. Llaguno is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor Law - Management. Fermin H., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Fermin H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Maria Stearns is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Maria, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Maria is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Warren Nelson is a partner in the firm's Irvine and Los Angeles offices. His practice emphasizes collective bargaining, defense of unfair labor practice charges, arbitrations, representation of employers in union organizing campaigns, occupational safety and health, and wage and hour law. Warren has over 30 years of labor and employee relations experience in unionized and non-unionized environments. He has negotiated over 250 labor agreements for employers, covering construction, manufacturin...
Vince M. Verde is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Vince M., who practices law in Costa Mesa, California, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Vince M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Brian Sinclair is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Brian, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brian is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Karl Lindegren is a partner in the Irvine and Los Angeles offices. He represents employers in all areas of labor and employment law. He provides clients with preventive advice and counseling on issues ranging from union avoidance to compliance with state and federal laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), defending and preventing wrongful discharge and discrimination claims and protection of trade secrets. His litigation practice in...
Todd R. Wulffson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Todd R., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Todd R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
John Polson is a partner in the Irvine office and a member of the firm's Management Committee. He represents employers and staffing industry clients in all aspects of labor and employment law, including transactional matters, litigation, compliance advice and audits, executive and management training, and other employment related legal matters. John handles administrative and civil employment litigation matters, including arbitrations, in California and elsewhere. John has particular expertis...
Jim McDonald is managing partner of the Irvine office and a partner in the Los Angeles office. He is also the firm's marketing partner and chair of the firm's Development Committee. Jim tries employment cases before juries, judges and arbitrators. His practice especially focuses on executive terminations, workplace harassment and discrimination claims, the Americans with Disabilities Act, mental health issues in the workplace, and trade secrets and unfair competition matters. Jim also advises...
Patricia Matias is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Patricia, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Patricia is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Sheereen Javadizadeh is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor and Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Sheereen, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Sheereen is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Russell N. Jarem is of counsel in the Orange County, California, and the Hartford, Connecticut, offices of Jackson Lewis P.C. His practice focuses on representing employers in workplace law matters, including preventive advice and counseling. Russell regularly advises and represents employers in a broad range of employment law matters, including litigation under state and federal anti-discrimination statutes in a variety of forums, including state and federal courts, the Department of Labor, ...
Alessandra C. Whipple advises and represents clients in matters involving California labor and employment law. Whipple is experienced in advising and defending various employment disputes involving claims of wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination and retaliation, breach of contract, unfair competition, trade secrets, and whistleblower claims.Whipple’s practice includes providing significant pragmatic day-to-day advice and counseling to companies on how to navigate California&r...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.